Introduction

In this fascinating study
of Oregon’s major Swedish-language newspaper, Oregon Posten (1908 –
1936), Victoria Owenius explores the multifaceted role of an immigrant newspaper
within American society during the first half of the twentieth century. Before
1908, Oregon remained completely isolated from Sweden. The 19th
century immigrants had literally traveled to the other side of the earth, and
found themselves cut off from family, friends and homeland. The Oregon
newspapers provided no news from the old country, and even if they had, many
immigrants would not have been able to read them since they did not know much
English. There were a few major Swedish-American newspapers in the East and
Midwest, but beyond that, people had to write letters.

Fairly large numbers of Swedes had come to Oregon after the arrival of the
railroad in 1883, and by the early nineteen hundreds there was a fairly
substantial Swedish population in the state. Therefore it is not surprising that
Oregon Posten became an instant success among the news-hungry Swedes when
it started publishing in 1908.

Oregon
Posten quickly created a wide, international community of readers. The paper
provided a steady flow of national and local news from Sweden that the
immigrants craved. It also provided important news about the United States and
Oregon in Swedish, helping the immigrants learn about their new
environment in their native language. Because the paper wrote about Oregon, it
also attracted outsiders curious about the state. These included Swedes in other
parts of America or Canada who were contemplating the possibility of moving
there, as well as people in Sweden who had relatives and friends living in
Oregon and who wanted to stay informed.

In addition,
Oregon Posten became a tireless promoter of the state and its Swedish
communities, encouraging other Swedes to join them. It emphasized Oregon’s rich
natural resources and moderate climate, while simultaneously building a strong,
cohesive community feeling. The paper ran stories about the Swedish settlements
scattered across the state, and always provided space for such things as
congregations and church services, the various events sponsored by Swedish
organizations, wedding notices and obituaries. In addition, the paper always
contained a great variety of ads for Swedish businesses and services in the
Portland area. In short, the newspaper quickly connected the Swedes of Oregon
into a statewide network.

Finally, Oregon Posten also played an important role in the preservation
of language, heritage, culture and identity. In a time when Swedish books were
hard to come by, the newspaper became an inexpensive and highly appreciated
source of entertainment and culture by printing jokes, poems, stories and
serialized novels. It always supported the teaching of Swedish to second
generation Swedish-Americans, and it was in favor of maintaining Swedish customs
and traditions. And when a powerful wave of anti-immigrant sentiment swept the
United States during the turbulent years of World War I, requiring
demonstrations of patriotism, the paper rallied behind the Swedish-Americans.
Oregon Posten always argued that it was possible to be both a patriotic
naturalized American citizen, and someone who simultaneously and proudly
preserved his or her native language, culture and identity.